USING SECOND-TRANSITIONARY PHASE COGNITIVE FACTORS TO PREDICT ADHERENCE TO A WALKING ROUTINE (EXERCISE).
Contributors: Indiana University School of Nursing.
Published: 1994
Number of pages: 201
Subjects: Health Sciences, Nursing.; Psychology, Behavioral.; Recreation.
Description: The purpose of the study was to test a regression model designed to predict adherence to a walking for exercise routine. An extension of the Second-Transitionary (Adherence) phase of the Natural History of Exercise Model, referred to as the Natural History of Walking for Exercise Model (NHWEM) was the organizing framework. PEARSON CORRELATIONS and standard regression were used to assess the relationship between adherence to a self-set walking routine and the following NHWEM factors: personal factors (age, gender, marital status and education); cognitive factors (social support, self-efficacy, normative beliefs, perceived health status and benefits/barriers); and environmental factors (safety, comfort, weather, and the proximity of the walking environment to home).

A total of 66 adults currently participating in a walking for exercise routine completed the mailed survey and for the next 12 weeks recorded in the log actual walking for exercise activities. An additional 31 participants, who completed the survey but failed to return the log, described their 12 week walking for exercise behaviors during a telephone interview. The adherence score was calculated by comparing the intended walking for exercise routine described in the survey booklet with the log and telephone reports of actual walking activities.

Demographic and environmental factors significantly correlated with walking adherence were combined with cognitive factors (individually and combined) to predict walking routine adherence. In most of the regression equations, age was the single significant predictor of walking routine adherence. NHWEM support was limited because unique variability was consistently attributed to only one or two variables and not variable combinations.

Participants 65 and older were significantly more adherent to their intended walking routine; reported significantly higher perceived health status scores and friend/fellow walker support scores; and reported lower social support scores, benefits scores, barriers scores, and family support scores than participants younger than 65. Cognitive factor scores for participants reporting a walking relapse of 3 or more weeks significantly differed from total sample scores. This difference is consistent with the NHEM assumption that predictors of exercise are transitionary-phase specific.
Notes: Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 55-09, Section: B, page: 3817.

Thesis (D.N.S.)--INDIANA UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF NURSING, 1994.

School code: 0815.